Dental matrix apparatus



July 28, 1953 D. a. CHRISTIE Erm. 2,646,622

- DENTAL MATRIX APPARATUS Filed June 17,

7 WM @mm Patented `uly 28, 1953 V UNITED STATES PATENT CJFFICIELv nonalam chris-gemid Mmmmnbttemiuel-,L

l Wadena, Minn.

3f Claims.

The* presentI invention is particularly concerned with dental matrix apparatus Iof the type desig'nedv for use in' the filling of cavities.` in anterior t'eeth. It is common `practice to' ll cavities in the anterior teeth with either a' porcelainl or plastic materiali which resembles the vnitte'd the tape to" move a bit, then the' filling tended `to `be unsatisfactory;` With thef newer plastic filling materials, the setting time is"` sufcieiitly long thatthe time required' for the" tape to be held in place becomes a substantial portion `of `the total time requiredv for filling 4the tooth.

`Anf object of the present invention: is to* provide a matrix band and clamp whichY may be used with" fillings in anterior teeth `and will remain in place without` continued" manual assistance'.` l l A further o'bjectzof the'present invention is tot provide such a matrix band and clampr in whichthe band is adhesively maintained in'place whilel `the clamp isT being applied;

Astill further@ object ofthe invention is to provide such a zmatrix band apparatus in which the clamp is so formed as to be readily placeable in clamping position.

These and the other objects of our invention, which will be apparentfrom the following description, are' accomplished by providingsa` tape which has adhesive on theend portionsthereof and an intermediate portion free of adhesive whichis placed against thefilling, with the adhesive ends of thetape doubledY over and pressed into adhesive engagement with thetoothbeing iilledV and with one 'or more adjacent teeth; The clamp is sol formed as=to be placed into engage- `ment` with the tape closely adjacent the' iilling, but# overlying the adhesive portion of the tape' so as to' cause the tape to adhere even more firmly tothetooth being filled.` Further details ofthe invention will be` described in connection with the accompanying drawing of which Figure l isan isometric view of' our improved matrix tape or band;

Figure 2 isl a verticali sectional'l ViewV of? the clamp forming` part? ofi our matrix band apteeth;

Figure 3` is* af transverse'sectional view of the clamp, the" section being taken along the line 3&-3 of Figure 2:;

Fi'guref 4- is a' view showing a number of an'- terioi' teetlr including one of which has been drilled for adilling,A and w'itl'r` our improved matrix band iii,A position for the insertion of the filling material, the view beingk taken` from the reaiside of `the teeth;i

Figure 5 is a frontl view of the'same' teeth as shown in Figure 4, showing a filling' material in position in the cavity; Y i

Figure 6 isal front View of the same teeth with the free end of the bandK loopedV over the cavity and pressed'` into' engagingv relation withp the Figure 7 is` a-view showing'the clamp in position; and- Figure 8 is ai sectional View of the clamping facesl of: the clamplfthe tape, and the teeth.`

Referringv to' the drawing,y the matrix band of our invention is' designatedby the reference numeral I'D, and isbest shown in Figure l; The bandY t0- consists" of atape Hi having the end=por tions thereofA coveredwitli adhesive layers l2 and t3'. Thetape- Hf is' preferably formed of some transparent-l plastic;` material such as' cellophane. The adhesive layer l2- is covered` with a protective` tape ['45, and layer I3' with a` similar protec-` tive'ft'ape |51 `The-adhesive layers l2 and I3'may take any suitable form. For example, they maS7 bein the form of a double coated tapeyone surfacef of' which is pressedf into" engagement with the" tape' H; O-rfthe adhesive layer may take' the formof asimple layer applieddireetly to the tape lil. tis to'be noted that theadhesive portions IZiand l3'terminate adjacent the central portion I6 ofthe tape.'` Itis this-adhesive-free, central portion whichl is designeditobe` placed adjacent the'lling'. i Since it is not desired'that the tape adheretol the'lling proper; this portion is not adhesive; the thickness of the layers" isH exaggerated in the drawing andl thaty in actual" practice, there is no substantial difference inthickness between the adhesive-coated' portions and' the central portion*` IG: l

Referring noW'to-the clamp, this is bes'tshown iniFigures- 2f,` 3;` and-7. The clamp, `which' is designated inits'entire'ty by the'reference numeral 20, isformed of' afstripZ-l of' resilient metalhavingagu-shaped body portion 22 and two end clamping-por'tionsHandit;r Rigdly secured to oneyleg ofthe U-shaped bodyfportion 22, isa rod 2T terminating: in aifiiiigerv piece 28. Securedv to the other leg of the body portion 22' of strip 2l,

It-istobe understood, of course, that the strip 2 I.

` filling.

is another rod 38, terminating in a finger piece 29. Rod Sil extends through an elongated slot 32 in the leg to which rod 2l is fastened, so that nger pieces 28 and 29 are opposite to each other and may be conveniently engaged by thumb and forenger.

Secured to the adjacent faces of clamping portions 23 and 24 are a pair of rubber clamping members 34 and 35, respectively. These clamping members have opposed spherically curved faces and are formed of yieldable material having an abrasive therein. The purpose of the abrasive is to cause the clamping members to remain in position on the plastic tape l l and not to slide with respect thereto. i

` 1t will be readily apparent from the dottedliney position of a portion of the clamping member, vas

shown' in Figure 2, that by grasping the ngerpieces 28 and 29 between the thumb and forezn'nger and squeezingthem together, the upper leg Aof .the strip 2l is flexed upwardly. to cause separation of the clamping members 3ft` and35. This permits the clamp to 'be vplaced in position. ,Upon

frelease vof vtheiingerpieces 28 and 29, the clamping members 34 and 35 are moved. `together into clamping relationby .reason of .the resilience rof Since the clamp may be manipulated by the iingers of one hand, .the other hand position while Vthe clamp is being applied.

Referring now to Figure 4,'. the band It! is shown partially. applied in connectionv with a lling in one of the upper anterior teeth. The view Ais taken'as though therupper jaw were swung back through an angle of about 135 for convenience in viewing` the cavity The' tooth being iilled is designated by the numeral 40. The teeth onthe 'left side (opposite the cavity)` are designated by numerals 4i', 42; and 43 while that on the right side of the tooth is indicated by numeral M. The cavity is indicated by numeral 48 and it will be assumed that the cavity of Figure 4 has been drilled and properly treated for receiving the As shown in Figure 4, the tape l has had the covering strip .It removed so as to expose the adhesive layer 2. The strip has been placed in position with the intermediate portion i6 adjacent to the lling it and with adhesive layer l2 rmly pressed against the rear surfaces of teeth tata, and s2.

. Referring now to Figure 5, the same upper anterior teeth are shown from the .front with the illing material dil in position in the cavity. This @ling material may be of these-called porcelain type or the newer plastic type. As indicated by the drawing, the filling material has been applied with the righthand portion of the band Iii movedA back out of the way of the cavity.

As also indicated in the drawing, the filling material 49 is applied to the cavity in a quantity such as to project slightly beyond the normal contour of the `cavity preparation.

The protective strip l '5 is now removed, exposing the adhesive layer i3. At the same time the righthand end of the strip is drawn around the tooth dil, spreading out the lling material 49, as shown in Figure 6. The adhesive layer I3 of the band is then pressedfinto engagement With the forward surface of the teeth. The band is now in the position shown in Figure 6. Due to the absence of any adhesive or other covering material on the intermediate portion I6, this portion is transparent. Hence, a good View is obtained through this portion of the filling 49 as the band lil is pulled. into position. i

vtl'iefscop'e of the appended claims.;

While the band tends to remain in the position shown in Figure 6 due to the adhesive layers I 2 and I3, it is desirable to clamp the band in position. The ngerpieces 28 and 29 are squeezed together to separate the clamping jaws 34 and 35, as best shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The clamp can then be placed in position adjacent the cavity. Upon the ngerpieces 28 and 29 being released, the clamping faces 34 and 35 are pressed rmly into engagement with the band l0 to hold the band in engagement with the tooth. A portion `of the clamping faces 34 and 35 Will overliethe adhesively coated portions of band l0 to maintain the transparent portion of the band in close adherence to the tooth 40. yThe relation of the clamping jaw surfaces 34 and 35 to the band I 0 andthe teeth is best indicated in the sectional view of Figure 8. It will be seen from. this view that the band I 0 is held in close engagement kwith the tooth so that,the filling is molded s0 asto conformfwithuthe,.contoulqf the .tooth. Since the clamp is mechanical,1 the pressure maintained; on band l ll willA be .constant throughout, and thereis no4 tendency for-...the rband toshift as Aoccasionallyhappens Whengthe bandis` manuallyheld.. The; abrasive inthe clamping members v3!! and 35, furthermora pre,.- vents any shiftingof the c1amp on the band.,-

1 Due 4to the angle` at .which the i, clamping.. p0rtion 24 extendslwith respect to the; body portion 22, the" latter tends to project forwardly in ,the mouth. and hence clears the .opposing `jaw... 'ljhis is desirable'in that itaids in placingthe clamp vin position. The ,sphericallycurved surfaces .of

furthermore be' seen thatthis is `accomplished by the use of va* relatively simple type of `band and a clamp of simple construction which is readily manipulatable.'.withonly onehand.

1 While we have. shovmaispecicformof our in"- vention for purposes of illustration,.it is. to -be understood thattheinventioniis limited only. by

We claim as ourninvention:

11A dental "matrix comprising 'a longhand of relatively uniform'width and formed*` ofithin flexible material having adhesive' material on the end portions thereof and having an intermediate portionfree of adhesive for the full width of the bandand adapted to engage a lling, said band beingadapted to be looped around a tooth with the intermediate non-adhesive portion engaging a lling and with the adhesive portions adhering to the tooth.

" 2. A dental matrix band of thin ilexible mate- `rial of a length at least three times the Width of a normal anterior tooth and of relatively uniform width, said handhaving adhesive material on the end portions thereof `and having an intermediate portion free of adhesive for the full width of the band and adapted to engage a iilling, said band'being adapted to be looped around a tooth with the intermediate non-adhesiveportion engaging a lling and'wth the adhesive portions adhering to the tooth being filled and at least vone tooth .-adjacent thereto. 1

3. A dental matrix comprising a long-bandfof relatively uniform Width and formed of thin exible transparent material having adhesive material on the end portions thereof and having an intermediate portion free of adhesive for the full Width of the band, said band being adapted to be looped around a tooth with the intermediate non-adhesive portion engaging a illing and with the adhesive portions adhering to the tooth, the lling being visible through the intermediate non-adhesive transparent portion.

DONALD R. CHRISTIE.

MERTON M. BOT'I'EMELLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Emerson Aug. 24. 1915 Zurbrigg May '7, 1918 Burlew Aug. 18, 1925 Parkin Dec. 30, 1941 Weil June 4, 1946 

